Love Comes In Many Forms
by SuperDork1346
Summary: Raven hasn't had many people who love her, who cared for her. She had monks to watch her and teacher her, but no friends. And then she appeared on an alien world, half demon. So it takes a while for her to trust people. Who would have though that she'd find a family too? (BBrae friendship/start)


It was weird for her to feel like she belonged, even with the Titans. She was the weird girl from a different planet whose father used her to try and destroy the world. She's the girl that almost let him. But with a select few people, she could never feel like that and she didn't understand why. Until she figured it out on her own.

Everything started with Starfire, like it had all that time ago when they first met. She was dancing in the kitchen as she made herself a giant cup of hot chocolate, smiling warmly at the half demon when she noticed her. "Hello Friend Raven, I left some hot water for you if you wished to make tea." Over the short period of time she'd been on earth, she'd started figuring out how to speak English better. They had bonded a little when Beast Boy joked that all she had to do was make out with Robin and she'd be fine. Her response was golden. "The making of the out has not worked so far and I think Friend Robin likes the way I talk just fine. It's usually _why_ we do the making of the out _._ " But that was a while ago and besides forced shopping trips, they hadn't had that much fun otherwise.

"Thank you Starfire, I appreciate it." She moved quietly over to where the kettle was an went about looking for the right tea. She paused suddenly as a sense of shame washed over her. Hadn't she done her research? She was here long enough, she should know this. "Stupid..." Her whisper must have reached the Tamaranian over the music because it suddenly cut off and her friend was floating next to her. "I'm sorry Starfire, I..." She paused in her cover up. Would it be so bad if she asked? "Do you know what this is? I can't read it and I've never heard of it before..."

Starfire picked up the box and looked it over carefully. Raven half expected her to laugh at her but she simply stared at it in confusion for a second. "Oh, I know! This is Chamomile tea, it's for helping when your stomach hurts or if you can not sleep."

They didn't talk much after that besides for thank yous, but when she found herself handing the alien girl a cup of Chamomile tea as they curled up in some blankets, she found she liked hanging out with Starfire. It became a tradition to have a slumber party every other week when they could. "Friend Raven, what are your favorite places to go out in the city?" "Star, what do you like about your tv shows?" It was always thinking questions and it helped them get to know each other. Star stopped pestering her for shopping trips and she learned that her only female friend liked watching things that were educational or reminded her of home. Sitting there talking quietly as they were wrapped up in the blankets and as they sipped their tea, they grew to be more than the friends they were. Star would joke that they became tea buddies, even going to shops to try new teas together to chat or just say nothing. But it was always Chamomile at their sleepovers, because they never did quite sleep as well when it wasn't.

Surprisingly, it was Robin next when he finally talked to her about what happened on her sixteenth birthday. She was mentally drained when they were done so she had left not wanting to read or meditate. She wanted a task to do. She wandered into the garage where Cyborg was working on his car and barely noticed when she walked in. "Are you concentrating so hard your hearing is broken?" She winced when she snapped but she was too tired to take it back.

Cyborg just came out from under the car with a grin and grabbed a new tool. "Nah, you just have light steps. And it's not really a focusing job, it's kind of muscle memory by now. You do it a few times and you can basically sleep while you work." That seemed to be just the thing she needed to hear as she asked if there was anything she could do and took a small part to work on off in the corner. She would get frustrated and ask questions, him responding quickly while not even paying attention.

It became her new favorite way to to meditate, just sitting there on her stool as she worked on some small project while Cyborg worked under the car or in the hood and answered her questions without thinking. After a while, her questions started petering out as true to his word it became muscle memory. When the silence started happening, Cyborg asked if he could put on some music. It was always Jazz or swing, older music that she wasn't expecting the eighteen year old in front of her to enjoy. "My mom's music, used to pay it all the time. Her and Dad used to dance to it, family reunions were fun to because than you be grabbed by _somebody_ and everyone was dancing. My favorite thing was dancing with her."

So it came as a surprise when one day she found herself tapping to the beat with her foot as she worked, the lyrics forming themselves on her lips as she looked at the hunk of metal in front of her. It was gone in seconds, replaced with a dark hand she wasn't expecting. "I'm gonna teach you how to dance Raven, because you can't just sit and listen to the music after a while." It started out as a stumbling mess mixed with her protests. And then it got fun. He stayed with one move till she did it perfectly, even when he added in a few things. Then he would do something new and she'd start to smile as she stumbled instead of frown.

After a few months at one of the charity balls they had to go to, they heard one of their songs and everyone stared in wonder as Raven got excited. Not jumping up and down excited, but a smile and her eyes lighting up. "Care to dance Victor?"

Cyborg grinned shyly at her as he grabbed her hand and they stepped out onto the dance floor. They moves weren't perfect and there were a few other people dancing too. But they were having the most fun as they moved easily and twirled their way across the entire dance floor. When the music stopped, a cheer erupted from their friends. Everyone was laughing as they stumbled back over like they were drunk. When asked when they learned how to do that, Cyborg shrugged. "Mom taught me so I don't see why I shouldn't teach my new sister."

Raven beamed as she did something else from muscle memory, planting a quick kiss to his cheek. Having a brother sounded nice. It felt nice too.

For her friends, Beast Boy was last. She hadn't noticed but she started feeling him more after the Beast was revealed, especially when they were fighting. When she finally did, it scared her a bit because of _why_ she hadn't noticed. She usually felt the same thing within herself when fighting. That same power, the same _hunger_...Her demon and his Beast were fighting them as they begged to be released to do some damage. And she only noticed when Starfire decided to spar against him. "I wish to see if my power can work against a different kind of opponent."

Beast Boy seemed nervous but he hid it well as they got ready. She went easy on him mostly, testing the waters. Finally he broke and snapped at her, "If you want to be treated as an equal you have to give it in return. _Fight me_." His voice was lower and growling as his anger broke through him moving up close and personal. "Give me your best shot."

A surge of anger burst through from Starfire as she slammed her palms into his chest, worry breaking through as he slammed into the wall. "Friend Beast...?" When he simply stood up and shook it off easily, her eyes widened. "You are not feeling the pain?" He shook his head with a grin and she got excited. Raven stared in wonder as she felt him tap into his Beast in a way she couldn't understand. It was like he was using his power because he knew she could take it. But why couldn't she? She was stronger than Cyborg.

"Time to play..." He didn't even morph as he charged her, his eyes flashing dangerously. Everyone expected her to punch him or for him to trip her, _something_ , but it didn't happen like that. Beast Boy ducked under her punch and instead slammed his shoulder into her stomach as he stood back up. He continued with the motion and ran after her as she slid backwards on the mat, swiping his foot against her legs. He was fighting to _win_.

Starfire dropped to the mat for good, wanting to just test this without powers. She bared her teeth which was paid back in kind, growling lowly. "You've been holding back." She stalked around him, watching his every move. "You have equal strength to a great warrior from Tamerian."

"So have you, same reason. Wouldn't want to break your _play_ mate." He grinned as he watched her, his teeth looking sharper and longer than before. Raven felt the excitement ramming against her from him, he wanted this. He needed the release. Oh god, did she now that feeling so well.

Starfire clucked her tongue. "You couldn't, not with what fighting he's making you do. You're just glad I didn't break yours." They clashed too fast for Raven to catch for the rest of the fight, ending with Beast Boy hovering over a pinned Starfire and his teeth an inch above her neck. "I concede."

Beast Boy climbed off and went over to Raven and their eyes met. "Raven, do you know the amount of power that goes into a bear's swipe? It can crush a moose's skull. Insects? Most of them can lift more than 100x their own weight. Gorillas can hold up to 8,000 pounds. 10x its weight. And I have all of that inside me, don't act surprised." An understanding passed through them, which was confirmed when they were back in the same spot the next week except this time it was Raven fighting Beast Boy. At least on the outside. Because when they clashed, it was all a demoness and the Beast.


End file.
